


Memories at Midnight

by robertsaaronsebastianskurt



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Canon-ish, Fluff, M/M, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 22:49:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5603827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robertsaaronsebastianskurt/pseuds/robertsaaronsebastianskurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert and Aaron finally spend New Years Eve together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memories at Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick lil' ficlet for New Years. Hope you're all having a lovely day whatever you're doing!

A party to welcome in the New Year was being held in the Woolpack, orchestrated and held by Chas and Diane, who were on the fast-track to a perfect friendship once more after the stabbing incident. They had invited the entire village and insisted that it should be a somewhat formal occasion with party dresses and casual suits and this, along with the opportunity of free booze, is what had drawn three quarters of the village to attend.

Considering Aaron’s mum was running the show, he had been required to attend, as much as he wished to spend the evening engaging in a one man pity party. He was even less thrilled that his so-called ‘father’ was also invited because he couldn’t stand the sight of him and he would rather spend an evening pretty much anywhere else rather than watch his mum and Gordon make moon-eyes at each other. The thought made him feel physically sick.

Another resident who had been somewhat coerced into attending was Robert; not only by his little sister, but by his step-mum also. They had made a (good) argument that he’d otherwise just be watching shitty night-time tele instead of the daytime shows he’d become acquainted with and that he may aswell make use of one of his fancy suits and show his face in the pub. He only planned to be there for half an hour, seen as a lot of the village didn’t talk to him anyway, but when he saw Aaron walk in the direction of the men’s bathroom, he decided to have a little fun instead.

Aaron was having a quiet moment to himself, away from all the noise and drama, when Robert walked in and drawled out a sultry, “Well, isn’t this just like old times?” which made Aaron turn sharply towards the voice.

“What?”

“I said, isn’t this just like old times?” Robert raised his eyebrows, obviously expecting an answer. When he didn’t get anything but a blank stare, he gestured towards their surroundings, “you know, the men’s bogs?”

Aaron just nodded, detached, before he looked away towards the sink. He watched Robert make a face in the mirror, as if Aaron had just been rude to him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. His mind was completely elsewhere, and Robert was, funnily enough, the least of his problems.

“What’s up? You’re grumpier than usual,” Robert said, then muttered under his breath, “and that’s saying something.”

Aaron just braced himself against the sink, head down instead of replying and hoping that Robert would take the hint and leave. But, of course, this was Robert Sugden – of course he would press the issue. What Aaron didn’t expect, however, was the look of concern on his face when he finally spun to face him to tell him to get lost – the words died quickly in his throat.

“Seriously, what’s the matter?”

For a second, Aaron didn’t say anything; _wasn’t_ going to say anything but then the words just poured out before he could stop them. He never really did have trouble telling Robert what was on his mind.

“It’s my dad. He’s back.”

Robert looked so outraged it was almost funny, “What?! Since when?”

Aaron hadn’t really expected Robert to be aware of this; he’d been MIA for the past few weeks, so they’d barely seen each other since the whole ordeal of Robert wanting to buy the pub. But Robert _was_ completely aware of Aaron’s past with Gordon, which was now coming across as dismay on his face.

“Yeah, exactly.” Aaron shrugged.

Robert checked himself, schooling his expression into a more ‘casual’ one, “and he’s here?”

Aaron nodded, “Yeah, my mum invited him.”

“Why would she do that?”

“I’ve been asking myself the same question all day.”

He looked confused. “Seriously, what is going on?”

“It’s a long story.”

Robert seemed thoughtful for a moment, “I’ve got time.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“No. This party is boring. I’d rather be doing something that isn’t boring” Robert hesitated, “It’s, ah- come to my attention that I’ve become a bit lacklustre in my daily activities lately.”

Aaron laughed for the first time that evening, “yeah, I heard about your new found love for Jeremy Kyle.”

Robert scoffed, “Come on, you know me better than that! I’m much more of a Judge Rinder type of bloke.”

Aaron laughed again – he loved that the banter was easy between Robert and himself when they weren’t at each other’s throats, it was simple and he didn’t have to overthink every minor detail.

“Anyway, I need to liven things up a little with things that _aren’t_ boring, and you’re far from that Aaron.”

Aaron didn’t know whether to be annoyed or flattered, and judging by the shiver that went through his body when Robert said his name, he was leaning towards the latter. He choose to look indifferent instead, and shrugged like the backhanded compliment didn’t make his nerve endings spark with life.

A comfortable silence settled over them as their gazes met. Aaron felt like he should be angry with Robert for some reason or another; that he should be arguing with him instead of smiling at him, but everything with his dad recently had just drained that out of him and he found himself wanting nobody else’s company but Roberts.

That was probably the reason the next words came out of his mouth.

“Dya’ wanna go somewhere?” he asked, completely against his better judgement and before he could over-analyse or regret what he said, “Away from here, I mean?”

Robert hesitated, and Aaron was sure that he was about to get rejected and therefore, humiliated for the billionth time since he’d known Robert. But he grinned a moment later in that goofy way he did; tongue behind his teeth in a way that lit up his whole face.

“I’d like that.”

They smiled at each other, both uncharacteristically shy before Robert gestured with his head towards the door. Aaron pushed off from the sink and followed as Robert held open the door for him – he walked into the entrance of the Woolpack just as someone else was walking through the door.

It was Victoria, and she spotted the pair quickly, eyeing them closely as Aaron stepped behind Robert, embarrassed like they’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t.

“Robert” She said, tone suspicious, “where are you going?”

“Out.”

“What about the party?”

“What about it?”

Victoria looked harassed, but amused when she saw Aaron peeking out behind him and it was clear that she understand what Robert was trying to avoid and she let it go, “hmpf, fine. Happy New Year, bro.”

He smiled and gave her a bear hug before kissing her cheek, “Happy New Year, lil’ sis. Have a drink for me.”

She let them go, giving Aaron a small squeeze on the arm before she turned to go back inside. Aaron wondered about her letting slip about his whereabouts to Chas for a brief moment, before he decided that he didn’t care – she couldn’t treat him the way she had for the past few days and then lecture him about his life decisions. If she wouldn’t listen about Gordon, then he wouldn’t listen to her – plain and simple.

He also wondered for a brief moment why Robert wasn’t more concerned that they’d been seen leaving together – that’s what would have happened a year ago; Robert would have left Aaron in the lurch in order to protect his precious reputation. Maybe that proved how much had changed now the secret was out.

Robert’s voice jolted him out of his thought process with a flirty, “You coming?”

…

They ended up back at Roberts – well, Victoria’s, to be specific- after deciding that neither of them could be bothered driving on a busy night like tonight. Robert assured them that they’d be alone at Victoria’s, who had been spending most of her time sleeping on Vanessa’s sofa with Adam anyway, so they could be close to baby Johnny if he needed anything, so it was unlikely that she’d be home tonight, what with it being NYE and her husband spending _his_ night there.

It was a bit awkward at first because they hadn’t just sat and had a beer casually without it ending in a blood bath since that time up at the farm with Andy. But soon, they were chatting away like old friends as the alcohol flowed through their system and the TV playing quietly in the background.

Aaron opened up about his feelings about Gordon's return, and Robert sat quietly, listened patiently and responding appropriately when it was needed. Angry tears would well up in Aaron’s eyes every now and again, and Robert would lay a comforting hand on Aaron’s knee whenever they did. When they’d discussed it for all it was worth, Aaron admitted that he felt a lot better for it, and they moved onto the subject of Robert, seen as he thought it was only fair that he opened up aswell.

He talked about how he’d been suffering from nightmares, mostly surrounding his shooting, and the fact that he was losing a lot of sleep because of this and this was consequently the reason that he’d been spending all of his time vegging on the sofa and devoting his life to Victoria’s TV and napping in the day. He admitted, albeit reluctantly, that part of him was so utterly lost and unmotivated after his shooting, and he didn’t know how to recover from it and get back on track.

They talked for hours, never with a lull in conversation, until the TV screen showing a view of the London eye flashed in the background, signalling that it was almost midnight and the countdown to the New Year was soon beginning.

Robert turned a smile towards Aaron, who had his head rested on the back of small sofa, “At least I got to spend _this_ New Year’s Eve with you. Just like I wanted last year.”

“Yeah, don’t remind me.”

Robert looked momentarily hurt at Aaron not wanting to remember their past, before he said nonchalantly, “Well, it was worth the wait.”

Aaron’s eye widened in shock at the statement and his heart began to beat hard in his chest as the countdown started in the background.

“Ten.” Robert whispered.

Aaron looked into Roberts eyes, searchingly.

“Nine.”

Robert’s lips quirked into a small smile.

“Eight.”

Aaron eyes moved to Robert’s soft, round lips that were forming the numbers.

“Seven.”

Robert moved his head closer, closing the small gap between them.

“Six.”

Aaron took a deep breath, eyes flicking across the other man’s face.

“Five.”

Robert tongue darted out to wet his lips.

“Four.”

Aaron closed the gap desperately, bringing their lips together in a messy, passionate kiss.

Three, two, one.

The kiss lasted for a while; their lips slid together in a way that was so ultimately comfortable and familiar which caused Aaron to sigh into the kiss, content as he moved onto Roberts lap, bringing his legs to rest at either side of Roberts, who moaned and tightened his grip from where his hands had come to rest on Aarons hips. After several minutes of breathless and feverish kissing, they both pulled back, breathing heavily and staring intently at each other, both with pupils blown wide.

Aaron waited for the regret, waited for the overwhelming urge to push away from Robert and leave– but it never came. He didn’t want to run or fight; not this time. He was right where he wanted to be.

“Happy New Year, Aaron.” Robert said, before kissing him once more. He pushed against Aaron to get him to stand, their lips still fiercely locked when they could be, before he led him to the bedroom so they could see in the New Year the way they had intended to the previous year.

It was the first night Robert slept soundly since the shooting, nightmare free and wrapped tightly against Aaron and it was also the first time Aaron had felt truly relaxed for a long, long time. He didn’t know what 2016 would bring, but he was sure it was going to be a hell of a ride.

 

**Author's Note:**

> No pun intended;)
> 
> Happy New year gorgeous readers. <3
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
